Garage ceiling drywall

Seepaluce

Over the years I have come across houses with attached garages where 5/8 type X drywall (for the ceiling) are cracked where butted together. Sometimes there's one crack but a house I just seen had many (no cracks on the walls). After looking at the truss system and the installation of the drywall, there was nothing to indicate improper installation. When I run across somebody doing drywall, they tell me that it's a structural issue or expansion and contraction due to the temperature fluctuation but talk around what they would do to help prevent cracking from happening again. So I was hoping that you guys can enlighten me on what you guys do to help prevent/reduce cracking at the garage ceiling.

Muddauber

[quote=Seepaluce;2010] When I run across somebody doing drywall, they tell me that it's a structural issue or expansion and contraction due to the temperature fluctuation but talk around what they would do to help prevent cracking from happening again.

Right
This is caused by extreme changes in temperature and humidity.
Garages should be insulated same as the house. Keep the door closed as much as possible, and be sure to paint!

Seepaluce

Thanks for the info.

Kiwiman

Yeah, we get it all the time over here, the garage walls and ceilings usually aren't insulated and the heat is just too extreme, I usually recommend to clients for an extra $500 at least insulate the ceiling...Oh nah it's only a garage they say, then I charge them $500 to repair it when they ring me 6 months later.

Willie T

If you are still at the installation stage, you can beat much of this problem by stripping the bottoms of the joists or trusses perpendicular to their runs with 1 x 3's.

You then just go ahead and hang the rock on the strips.

Yeah, it takes an hour or two to do, and costs a couple hundred more, but it will be worth it in the long run... if for nothing else but your reputation. Because when those cracks come, and they will, it's going to be only one person's fault... YOURS... not the framer's, nor the contractor's, nor the archetect's. You hung the ceiling, so of course, it had to be your shoddy work that caused the problem.

Apple24

rc-1 channel w/ expansion joint the best route smartman willie t